Wire-transposing device



March 2, 1948. R, CASE 2,436,789

WIRE- TRANSPOS ING DEVICE Filed March '28, 1945 2 sheets-sheet 1 Inventor Rogers Case 7 ema@ @t @wf March 2, 1948. R. CASE WIRE-TRANSPOSING DEVICE Filed AMarch 28, 1945 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Irzr/@ntoj^ Rogers Case y @YM/2%@ Patented Mar. 2, 1948 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE WIRE-TRANSPOSING DEVICE Rogers Case, Orange, N. J.

Application March 28, 1945, Serial No. 585,320

3 Claims. (Cl. 174-33) This invention relates to wire-transposing and resistance-balancing devices applicable to parallel paired Wires to change their positions relatively to each other.

In the telephone art, the capacity of a pair of transmission wires for simultaneously transmitting multiple messages has been greatly increased over previously used systems by development of the so-called carrier system. Successful use of the said system, however, requires transposition and balancing of the paired transmission wires at uniform distances. Whereas the older phantom system has been somewhat flexible, some variation in the spacing of transposition points being permissible; this permissible variation in spacing of transposition points in the phantom system, together with the diiliculties in spacing telephone poles at equal distances, due to ground conditions, and the general practice of transposing wires at points of support on poles, has caused transmission wires that have been installed for use in phantom systems to be transposed at unequally spaced points and therefore to be unsuitable for conversion to carrier systems. Alteration of the transposition and resistance-balancing points to suit carrier transmission has heretofore involved such great expense, due to necessity for resetting poles, cutting and splicing Wires, etc., as to render such conversion prohibitive.

A general object of this invention is to provide a device for transposing and balancing paired wires carried by the wires themselves so that it may be positioned at any point along a communication line;4 which is capable of installation on wires that are already strung without cutting the wires or disassembling the device, and which is arranged to afford adequate resistance to the crushing strain exerted by the Wires tensioned upon such a device.

I have discovered by extended experimentation with wire-transposing brackets that in long spans or during high winds there is a tendency for transposition brackets supported wholly by the line wires to rotate into tilted position and that during high Winds there is a tendency for the transposition brackets to sway and to disturb the transmission of messages in some measure as the relative position of the wires repeatedly is changed.

It is an object of my present invention to provide a transposition bracket in which the arrangement of insulating structure and weight distribution is such as to resist turning movement and swaying of the bracket on the line 2 conductor wires as in long spans or during high winds, and which readily may be brought into proper transposing positions in a spin of wires.

Other objects of my invention are to provide a wire-transposing bracket of the indicated sort in which the structure of the bracket is sufficiently strong to resist the pull of deforming forces exerted by line wires on the bracket, and to sustain the weight of long spans of heavy wire; and to provide a wire-transposing bracket which is well adapted to a short lateral spacing between the wires, and which eifects a crossing of the Wires with adequate vertical displacement between them.

In the accompanying drawings;

Fig. I is an end elevation of a wire-transposing bracket made in accordance with my invention showing the line wires of a communication system in transposed position thereon.

Fig. II is a vertical sectional view taken through the bracket in a plane at right angles to the elevational showing of Fig. I, also showing the same communication wires as in Fig. I transposed at the bracket.

Fig. III is a plan view showing the arrangement of two such wire-transposing brackets with respect to the pair of line wires transposed thereby.

Fig. IV is a vertical sectional detail view, showing the mounting for one sort of insulator mounting in the bracket.

Fig. V is a vertical sectional detail view similar to Fig. IV but showing a modied mounting for an insulator assembly of the same sort as that shown in Fig. IV.

Describing in detail the embodiment oi my invention as shown in the drawings, the transposition and balancing device includes a base in the form of a plate i, which desirably though not necessarily is of square outline and has an open center for lightness and saving of material. A pair of insulators 2, the bodies of which are made of glass, porcelain or other suitable electrical insulating material, are mounted on one side of the plate in diagonal relation to each other. On the other diagonal of the insulator arrangement, and as shown on the other diagonal of plate I, there are mounted a second pair of insulators 3, also composed of suitable electrical insulating material. The insulators all project from the same side of plate I, and may be of any simple or specialized shape, provided they are primarily of spool form having a central mounting along their vertical axes. Because of the arrangement in which both diagonal pairs of insulators 2 and 3 stand on the same side of plate i, they are so arranged that the wire-receiving grooves of one diagonal pair lie at a different level than the wire-receiving grooves of the other diagonal pair, so that the line Wires may be crossed between them without coming into physical contact with each other. As shown, the diagonally paired insulators 2 are arranged to present their wire-receiving grooves at the higher level, and the diagonally paired insulators 3 are arranged to present their wire-receiving grooves at the lower level. This Ispacing should be not only suihcient to prevent relative physical contact of the two wires, but also as shown should be sucient to provide a substantial air vgap between them. Y

In service each of the respective line wires designated A and B is trained around opposite outer regions of the lateral surfaces of the insulators forming one of the pairs and `extended between them and diagonally of the rectangle at the corners of which they are located. This is done without disturbing the assembly organization of the device and without cutting and splicing the line wires, by placing the bracket between collected slack of the wires, and by manipulation of the bracket and the wires causing one of the conductor wires A laterally to enter the clear space between the insulators of one diagonal pair to bear against the outer surface region of both insulators or that pair, so that the slack in the wire is used to form a diagonal reach a, eX- tended in contact with the outer surface regions of the insulators. Similarly the slack of the other conductor wire B is caused to bear against the outer surface of the insulators of the other di-' agonal pair, being extended between them in a diagonal reach b.

After being mounted in such manner, the wiretransposing bracket may be adjusted along the wires to correct lack of uniformity in the length of the reaches of wire which it cooperates to denne with the reaches between other points of transposition and resistance-balancing established by other similar devices. Also it frequently is desirable for purposes of convenience initially v to apply each of the wire-transposing brackets close to one of the line poles so the pole can be used to support the person making the installation, and then to pull the bracket along the wires into its proper transposing position When mounted the wire-transposing bracket is held securely by the additional tensioning of the wires caused by the deflection incident to their transposition. Y

The wire-transposing bracket of my invention is constructed to adapt itself to such conditions of installation and use. It has been noted that the wire-receiving grooves l of the diagonal pair of insulators 2 lie at a higher level with respect to supporting plate l than do the wire-receiving grooves 5 of the diagonal pair of insulators 3, and suitable means for obtaining this vertical spacing must be provided, The pin 6 for mounting the higher insulators 2 at a different Vertical level than the lower insulators 3, is in its 'illusf trated form a bolt shouldered at both ends to provide a lower shank l which passes through plate .The upper shank 8 of the bolt which projects upwardly beyond the insulator is provided with a head 9. The bottom surface vof the insulator 2 lies upon the shoulder I0 at the upper end of the central or body portion of the bolt which is of extended cross sectional area, and the lower shoulder ll at the base of the extended body portion of the bolt lies "against the upperA Vinto adjustedv position.

4 surface of plate l to have a relatively extended area of contact therewith. This structure gives a vertically spaced mounting of each of the insulators 2 with respect to the plane of the plate i and additionally the thickened central portion of the bolt 6 and its bearing with the surfaces of the plate and the insulator tend to resist bending forces exerted by the wires on the insulators tending to overturn them, and in measure compensates for the relatively long lever arm resulting from lthe length of the belt '6 below the the wirereceiving grooves 4 of the insulators.

It is important that the insulators 2 and 3 be permitted freely to rotate with respect to plate I., because it is inherently diiiicult to draw the bracket 'of my present invention along the wire Still considering the mounting of theI diagonally paired insulators 2, a bearing sleeve l2, of brass or other suitable bearing metal is inserted in the central bore of each 'of the insulators to' receive mounting bolt 6, so that 'the insulator may rotate freely on 'its mounting. The mounting structure for each of the lower insulators 3 is identical save that the pins i3 on which the insulators are mounted are shorter than the pins S for the insulators A2 and these pins, shown'as threaded bolts, are of uniform cross-section throughout their length.

To `resist the overturning forces exerted on the insulators and their mounting bolts or pins by the conductor wires, each of' the insulators is braced transversely of vthe bracket. Thus' each transverse unlike pair of insulators 2` and 3 is equipped Witha Z-for-m metallic strap having one end overlying the upper end of the insulator and engaged with the mounting bolt thereof. The straps angle toward the upper Vsurface of plate I and their feet are secured thereto asby bolts l and -nuts l5. As the conductor wires bear against the outer surfaces of 'all of vthe insulators, straps I`6 and 'l1 lie `out of way of the cross reaches `a and b of the wires, and are 'arranged to oppose the thrust exerted on the insulators by wires trained about them `in the manner shown. Mounting plate l also is protected against buckling under the transverse -compressive 'effect of the conductor wires. As shown such bracing 'consists of simple dependent bracing anges I8 extended along the transverse ledges of the plate.

Fig. III of the drawings illustrates the use of my wire-transpo'sing bracket in the paired wires of a communication line. As shown, the two brackets are identical and are identically arranged with respect to the line wires. The line wires A and B are therefore trained respectively on the high insulators 2 vand low insulators `3 of the first bracket and from them vrespectively pass to the insulators 'of unlike sort in the next adjacent bracket along the line. This causes each wire alternately to slant upwardly and to decline betweenbraokets to the 'extent of the vertical distance dei-ined by the vertical spacing of the wire-receiving grooves vin :the high and low insulators. This vertical distance is so short as 5to give a .negligible inclination in the relatively long reaches ofthe wires between brackets. This arrangement avoids .the use lof unlike 4brackets alternately along the line. It is, however, a simple matter to provide for alternate mounting vbrackets having the high and low insulators on reversed -diagcnals, and thus without altering the Ybracing 'organization to .run one low wire and one :high wire throughout the bracketed length of the system.

In Fig. V of the drawings, VI show ,modied the"other diagonal pair.

en -a sleeve i9, which is interposed between its base and the surface of the plate to space it therefrom. This spacer sleeve I9 surrounding the bolt'la performs the functions of spacing the insulator and of providing relatively extended bearing surfaces to the insulator base and to the mounting plate to tilting movement of the bolt. In this modied mounting a bearing sleeve 12a desirably is provided between the bolt shank and the bore of the insulator to facilitate relation of the latter, in correspondence with the sleeves l2 of the structures previously described.

It will be understood that with one diagonal pair of insulators spaced at a higher level than the other diagonal pair by a shouldered bolt, spacer sleeve, or other equivalent element, it is possible to obtain vertical spacing of the wires while using insulators of uniform size and form in the bracket. Also it will be observed that in the bracket as shown it is quite possible to adjust the vertical spacing of the wire-receiving grooves of the insulators, in the field, by replacing the initial spacing elements with others of greater or lesser length, correspondingly to adjust the height of the higher insulators.

As above shown and described, the entire integration of the bracket assembly is by means of threaded bolts and nuts. It is, however, possible to use unthreaded pins for mounting the insulators, and to use cotter pins or equivalent elements for fastening them in place. The braces for the insulator pins also may be riveted rather than bolted to the mounting plate of the bracket. Also, at the sacrifice of height adjustment in the iield and ease of repair, either or both the insulator pins and the braces may be Welded to the plate. Individually considered, welding the pins of the low insulators to the plate does not interfere with the replacement of the shouldered pins or spacer sleeves of the high insulators. Various other structural modications obviously may be made without altering the fundamental organization of the bracket.

Comparatively with the transposition bracket disclosed in my prior Patent No. 2,356,750. the wire-transposing bracket herein disclosed in use is suspended from both the line wires in which it is mounted; whereas the bracket of my prior patent is suspended from one of the line wires and rests upon the other of them. The complete suspension of this bracket causes it to lie dead in its mounted position, with the entire weight of the bracket being a downward drag on the line. This mounting causes the bracket effectively to resist turning movement and swaying under all conditions, as where the reaches of wire between brackets are made particularly long in accommodation to communication conditions, and when high winds are encountered. Inasmuch as this advantage is obtained at the sacritice of the physical balance inherent in the bracket of my prior patent, and inasmuch as the weight distribution tends more severely to bind the bracket in position in the line, the free rotation of the insulators is a matter of primary importance in bringing the bracket into adjusted position on the line, and the use of elements which resist the force of the wires tending to bend -the pins of the high insulators of the bracket assembly also is important.

I claim as my invention:

1. A position transposing and line balancing bracket for paired wires comprising a base, two pairs of spaced insulators mounted on'the same -side of the base with the said pairs of insulators located at the different diagonally opposed angles of an approximate rectangle formed by the arrangement of the said insulators, pintles supporting the said insulators rotatably with the insulators of each diagonal pair spaced from the said base equally with each other and unequally with the insulators of the other diagonal pair giving two diierent levels for the training of the paired wires by lateral insertion in contact with the outer surfaces of the insulators of the respective pairs in diagonally crossed and vertically spaced relation and for adjustment of the bracket along the wires with the bracket assembly depending from both the said wires, and two pairs of braces mounted with the said pairs parallel to each other on the said base and with the braces of each pair extended angularly from the upper region of the pintle of a higher insulator and a lower insulator respectively to connection with the base on the same side thereof.

2. A position transposing and line balancing bracket for paired wires comprising a base, two pairs of spaced insulators mounted on the same side of the base with the said pairs of insulators located at the diierent diagonally opposed angles of an approximate rectangle formed by the arrangement of the said insulators, a mounting assembly for each of one said diagonal pair of insulators including a pintle on which the insulator rotates at a level closely adjacent the plane of the said base, a mounting assembly for each of the said other diagonal pair of insulators including a pintle and an insulator-supporting spacer structure between said pintle and the said base rotatably supporting the said insulators in vertically spaced relation to those of the other diagonal pair, to give two different levels for the training of the pair wires by lateral insertion in contact with the outer surfaces of the insulators of the respective pairs in diagonally crossed and vertically spaced relation and for adjustment of the bracket along the wires with the bracket assembly depending from both the said wires, and two pairs of braces mounted with the said pairs parallel to each other on the said base and with the braces of each pair extended angularly from the upper region of the pintle of a higher insulator and a lower insulator respectively to connection with the base on the same side thereof.

3. A position transposing and line balancing bracket for paired wires comprising a base, four insulators of like form and size mounted in two spaced pairs on the same side of the base with the said pairs of insulators located at the diilerent and diagonally opposed angles of an approximate rectangle formed by the arrangement of the said insulators, insulator mounting structures of unequal vertical extent from the plane of the said base and comprising pintles for supporting the said insulators rotatably with the insulators of each diagonal pair spaced from the said base equally with each other and unequally with the insulators of the other diagonal pair, giving two different levels for the training of the paired wires by lateral insertion in contact with the outer surface of the insulators of the respective pairs in diagonally crossed and vertically spaced relation and for adjustment ot the bracket along other on .the said baseandwith-the braces of earch pair extended singularly from-the Aupper -rel. 5 gion of the pintleof e, higher insulator and a. lowy y e ,e essere@ thefwires with the, breret assembly depending from both the said wire s,;a.nd two pairs or braces mounted with the sai-dgpairs; parallel to each REFERENCES vCITED The following references are of 'record'in the le of this patent: .UNITED STATES PATENTS Name Date OBrien et al Sept. 30, 1902 Case Aug. 29, 1944 Brewster et al Oct. 27, 1942 Hunter et a1 VJan. 12, 1932 

